Church league plays ball after equipment theft

A local church baseball league did not let a crime keep them from helping boys and girls play ball Saturday.

At North Park Baptist Church in northeast Harris County, Saturdays are about baseball.

Every Saturday, 400 kids -- ages 4 to 13, both members and non-members -- play on the fields in the church's baseball league.

The children, their families and volunteers use the three fields each Saturday for fun, sport and prayer.

"There's nothing like being out here with the parents and getting involved with the kids and rooting for both sides," grandmother Betty Holland said.

But this week, there's an extra someone in those prayers. And it's not a ball player or a proud parent.

Their prayers are for a thief who broke into the two storage sheds and stole thousands of dollars worth of equipment from the league, including four-wheelers, lawn equipment and everything else down to baseballs.

"It's a loss. It's a big loss for us," volunteer Don Crutcher said.

It was a commandment-breaking act that has some in disbelief.

"There's not much you can say about it," volunteer Charles Hamm said. "Some people just do things that aren't wise and shouldn't happen."

Holland doesn't understand the crime either.

"Why steal from kids? Why steal from kids? But you know what? It's not going to stop [the children]. It's not going to stop them," she said. "They'll keep going if they have to go borrow equipment."